Better Hamster Ball

ABSTRACT

The current disclosure is directed to an improvement on the exercise ball for rodents and other small animals that are kept as pets. The invention is a spherical enclosure that allows the pet to experience freedom of movement in a safe environment. This polymer plastic sphere allows small rodents to exercise while maintaining rodent health and providing improved ergonomics for the user. The ball consists of multiple parts: a bottom hemisphere, a top hemisphere and a door.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional application No. 62/972,578, filed on Feb. 10, 2020

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The current disclosure is directed to an improvement on the exercise ball for rodents and other small animals that are kept as pets. When comes to exercise device systems for hamsters and other small rodents, there are several options available that provide for ventilation, ease of assembly/disassembly, removal of waste, and pet safety while designed to be more manageable on the go. Applicant believes that improvements can be made in terms of at least one of the types of novelty methods produced and the efficiencies gained for a carrier for a hamster ball. It is to at least one of these, or additional problems that the current disclosure is directed.

SUMMARY

By way of summary, the current disclosure is directed to an improvement on the exercise ball for rodents and other small animals that are kept as pets. The invention is a spherical enclosure that allows the pet to experience freedom of movement in a safe environment. This polymer plastic sphere allows small rodents to exercise while maintaining rodent health and providing improved ergonomics for the user. The ball consists of multiple parts: a bottom hemisphere, a top hemisphere and a door. It is novel in comparison to other exercise balls for the following reasons:

The current disclosure is safer and healthier for the pet. The exercise ball is healthier for pet because of the unique perforated ventilation pattern, which consists of small circular apertures with beveled corners, small enough to prevent pet injury. Other exercise balls have long and thin rectangular vents. It is known that the feet and claws of pets are reported to get injured because they become caught in these elongated rectangular vents. The vent pattern of the present invention reduces the risk of pet injury because the apertures are small and circular with beveled edges.

The present invention discloses a closing mechanism of the door resulting in a structure that is more secure and eliminates the likelihood decoupling and of escape for the pet. The door for this ball is substantially more secure relative to other exercise balls. It is known that small pets are reported to escape often from existing competitor products. The door mechanism is superior for the following reasons:

-   -   a. The locking mechanism consists of a quarter turn twisting         mechanism which is superior to similar products because it         creates a smoother motion and a tighter seal.     -   b. The door includes a visual alignment cue which allows user to         understand when the door is locked and when it is not completely         locked. Existing balls give a false tactile cue that has been         known to confuse users, allowing them think the cap is secure         even though it is still loose.

The current disclosure is easier to clean than similar competitor products. The unique snap detail at the middle of ball allows disassembly into two halves making cleaning easier.

Applicant believes that improvements have been made in terms of at least one of the types of novelty methods produced and the efficiencies gained for the hamster ball. It is to at least one of these, or additional problems that the current disclosure is directed.

Other examples will be set forth in more detail in the figures and detailed description below. The current disclosure is also directed to methods of adaptation and use. It will be apparent; however, that the detailed description is not intended to limit the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings form part of this specification and the invention will be better understood by a reading of the Detailed Description of the Examples of the Invention along with a review of said drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates the top of the exercise ball with the unique architecture of the door which seats securely on the ball, mitigating the risk of the door opening when in use by pet, as well as the unique and iconic handle.

FIG. 2 illustrates the exercise ball as well as the unique and iconic ventilation pattern.

FIG. 3 illustrates the two hemispheres of the disassembled exercise ball.

FIG. 4 illustrates the unique snap features along the equator of the ball, allowing the user to easily disassemble and clean the ball.

FIG. 5 illustrates the handle piece, the door piece, and the quarter turn twisting mechanism

FIG. 6 illustrates the ¼ inch turn locking mechanism and safety latch of the door piece

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the exercise ball 101 designed to provide hamsters, rodents and other small pets a vehicle for safe exercise. The exercise ball sizes are about 5 inches to about 13 inches in diameter. The ball consists of two halves of a hollowed sphere 102 and 103. The two half spheres can be disassembled for ease of cleaning. The parts of the sphere may be made from any number of polymer plastics. FIG. 1 also illustrates the top portion of the ball which consists of a door 104 for the rodent to enter and exit. The door is fitted with a handle 105 to assist with installing and removing the door. The polymer plastic contains circular, beveled apertures 115 that are about 1 millimeter to about 4 millimeters in diameter. The apertures create ample ventilation, as well as provide grip for pet's feet and claws. The vent pattern is located in a circular pattern around the latch button 107 and the housing opposite the handle 105. This vent pattern is also specifically designed to prevent feet and claws from getting caught and breaking. This is a common pain point in competitor products, that all have elongated rectangular vents. An oversize snap detail at the middle of the ball allows for cleaning

FIG. 3 illustrates the detached hemispheres of the exercise ball. The perforated ventilation can be seen encircling the latch buttons 107 on either side of the exercise ball and at the bottom of the sphere. The pattern, which consists of small circular apertures with beveled corners, specifically designed to be small enough to prevent pet injury.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of ball housing. A latch button on either side of ball housing 107 can be depressed to release ball housing and separate the two sections of the sphere. The rigidity of the polymer plastic keeps the Ball Housing 107 in place until it is depressed in order to separate the hemispheres.

FIG. 5 illustrates the Door 104 that is attached by snap features 111 to the Ball Housing 112. Within the Door 104 is a Safety Latch 106 to ensure the safety of the rodent from being accidentally let loose. The ergonomic door operates by a quarter turn twisting mechanism to allow inserting and removing hamster from ball. The door contains four snap features located 90 degree apart on the lower edge of the door. The exercise ball contains corresponding landings for the snap features. Once the door is placed on the landings, the door is sealed through a quarter turn twisting mechanism.

FIG. 6 illustrates a safety latch that operates by sliding the Switch 106 which incorporates a tab 114 in between two features on the Ball Housing 113. The tab prevents the rotational forces from normal use of the exercise ball causing the door to decouple from the exercise ball. Insofar as the description above and the accompanying drawings disclose any additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the claims below, the inventions are not dedicated to the public and the right to file one or more applications to claim such additional inventions is reserved. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An exercise ball for hamsters and other small rodents that are kept as pets comprising: a spherical shell having two hemispheres that separate at the equator having a snap mechanism located at opposite sides of the equator that couples the hemispheres, wherein the exercise ball has a diameter of about 5 inches to about 13 inches in diameter.
 2. The exercise ball of claim 1, wherein the north pole of the exercise ball consists of a door having a quarter turn twisting mechanism.
 3. The exercise ball of claim 2, wherein the door contains a safety latch.
 4. The exercise ball of claim 3, wherein the door contains a handle.
 5. The exercise ball of claim 1, wherein a plurality of ventilation apertures with a diameter from about 1 millimeter to about 4 millimeters encircles the snap mechanisms at either side of the equator and encircle the south pole of the exercise ball.
 6. An exercise ball for hamsters and other small rodents that are kept as pets comprising: a spherical shell having two hemispheres having a snap mechanism located at opposite sides of the equator that couples the hemispheres, wherein the north pole of the exercise ball consists of a door having a quarter turn twisting mechanism, wherein the door contains a safety latch, wherein the door contains a handle, wherein a plurality of ventilation apertures with a diameter from about 1 millimeter to about 4 millimeters encircles the snap mechanisms at either side of the equator and encircle the south pole of the exercise ball. 